Maintenance and Authentication of the Bacteriology Collection

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The Bacterial Collection of the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) is one of the most comprehensive and diversified assemblages of bacteria in the world. It functions as a national and international "microbiological bureau of standards" by distributing well-characterized reference strains to the scientific, educational and industrial communities. The Collection presently maintains over 14,000 strains and distributed more than 37,000 cultures in 1988. Previous support from the National Science Foundation has permitted the development of a comprehensive battery of characterization tests for the various taxa and the authentication of the Collection's strains. Data derived from these programs have been used to develop a microbial strain database which serves as an information resource center for the entire bacteriological community on nomenclature, preservation techniques, strain applications, phenotypic properties and quality control procedures. The database is also used to compile the ATCC Catalogue of Bacterial Strains, which includes information on media and special applications of strains. This award provides a partial operational subsidy for the maintenance of the Collection, further implementation of the computerized on-line strain database, publication of the strain catalog and the acquisition of additional bacterial strains with special application to biotechnology.